First trimester scan

One of the most exciting moments of pregnancy is when you go and have your first ultrasound scan. No doubt as your appointment with the Doctor approaches you will feel a mixture of both negative and positive emotions as this is when you find out if everythng is progressing as it should be.

I had my first scan this morning and although this is my second child the emotions were none the less. After having lost my first pregnancy I couldn't help but feel a bit nervous. You see, with the one I lost I found out things weren't right when the first scan showed no baby in the uterus. I was nervous when I had the first scan for my son too. Scared I might be told something wasn't quite right. Luckily as with my son, this mornings scan went just fine.

My hormones got the better of me when the Doctor turned on the volume so we could hear the heart beat and a few tears leaked. It's amazing seeing that little blob on the screen and already being able to make out it's head and see the flick of it's heart beating but when you hear it beating away the pregnancy suddenly becomes real. It's no longer just a positive line on a test and nausea. You have a real, living being inside of you.

You can see some good examples of scans here. As the first scan is done early on in pregnancy you may need the Doctor to explain what each part of the 'blob' is. Don't be afraid to ask if you're not sure. It's all part of the Doctors job.